Latch construction



E. O. BULMAN.

LATCH CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.4,1918.

1 383,523 Patented. July 5, 1921.

akomma FATENT OFFICE.

ELVAH O. BULMALLOF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

LATCH cons'rrtnorion.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELVAH O. BULMAN, a citizen of the United'States ofAmerica, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LatchConstructions; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to latches and is particularly concerned with theproduction of anovel latch construction made entirely from sheet metaland comprising but few parts, all of which may be readily andeconomically stamped from sheet metal. A further object of the inventionis to pro duce a very novel and artisticjstrike for the latch proper toengage with. Many other objects and purposes besides those specificallystated at this point, together with novel constructions and arrangementsof. parts for attaining the same, will appear as the descriptionprogresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing showing apreferred form of latch construction, and in which, 7

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a fragment of a door and casingtherefor, and through the latch and strike attached, respectively, tosaid door and casing.

'Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a fragment of the door, the latchattached thereto also being shown in side view.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the movable latchmember ad jacent its pivotal connection to a support.

Fig. 4c is a front view of the latch and strike as they appear inoperative relation when attached to a door and casing, and

Fig. 5 is a section, taken on the line 5-5, of Fig. 1. I

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different views ofthe drawing.

The latch is adapted to be attached at the free vertical edge of a door1 and the strike with which it engages to an adjacent por tion of thedoor casing or jamb 2. In the construction of the latch a case orhousing 3 is pressed from sheet metal, it having, preferably, a more orless rounded top and inwardly extending parallel ends and sides, ears 4extending from each end of the case through which screws or similarsuitable Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 4, 1918;

Patented uly 5, 1921. Serial Nb. 265,251.

fastening means may be passed for attack ing the case to the door 1.

11 opening 5 ismade through the top of the case substantially at themiddle point thereof, and an opening 6 in the side of the case inalinement with the edge of the door. A latch member?- passesthroughopening 5, it being formed from a single piece of sheet metal andprovided between its ends with two upstanding ears 8 which lie alongsidethe inner sides of the sides of the case after which the member 7 ispassed through opening 5 and formed into a downturned handle 9. A pin 10passes through the sides of the case and the ears 8 whereby the memberis pivotally connected directly to the case. Adjacentits inner end, themember T is formed with a lateral arm 11 which passes through theopening 6 and then turned up and formed into a hook-like catch 12, thesame being adapted to pass across the meeting edges of the door andeasing or jamh. spring 13 disposed between the latch menr ber 7 and thecase 3 has a tendency to normally elevate. the inner end of the latchmember, as will be obvious.

The strike with which the latch member is to engage is likewise formedas a case lei.

same form as the latch case 3. It is former in its top at one side withan opening 16 through which the catch arm 12 may enter as the door isclosed- The metal at the side of the case which is cut to permit thepassage of the arm 11 is turned upwardly and inwardly as indicated at17, and it is with this part 17 that the hook of the catch engages, therounded end of the'hook riding under the part 17 until the inner edge ofpart 17 is passed. In this manner an auto matic engagement of the latchwith its strike is made when the door is closed, and it isobvious thatdisengagement of the catch from the strike may be effected by merelylifting on the handle 9. This is the form that the latch mechanism willhave when attached to kitchen cabinets or similar inclosed structures,but when used in connection with screen doors or the like, an arm 18 isconnected to the latch member 7, passing through the door and formedwith a thumb engaging head 19 at its end, while a handle 20 is securedto the door below and in close proximity to the head. With thisconstruction, the latch may be operated from either and attaching ears15, the case being of the side of the door to disengage the same fromthe strike. 7 g

The Construction described is very simple, but is particularly effectivein operation. There are but few parts, all readily formed from sheetmetal at low manufacturing cost.

The strike with its case of design similar to the latch case addsgreatly to the appear ufacture.

' having a housing having sides'and top and formed from sheet metal, alatch member pivo'tally mounted on and within the housing, the.-

outer end of said member passing through the top of the housing in aplane belowthatof the pivot and being formed into a depending handle ata distance from the housing, and the innerend of the latch memberlaterally extending arm passing through aside of the housing and turnedup at its free end and formed into a hooked catch, and yielding'meanswithin the housing assoclated with the latch memb'erfor I normallyelevating the inner end thereof.

2. In a construction of thechar'act'er described,a strike comprising acase having sides and top andadapted to be secured to a door jamb, saidcase having a portion of one side turned inwardly into the case,substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a construction of the character described, a strike comprising ahollow case having a top and parallel inwardly extending sides, said topand one side of the case being provided with connected openings,

with the'metal from the side'of the case being turned inwardly into thecase' above the openings in the top and side of'the case, ,7

through a side of the'housing,

member at its substantially as and for the purpose d." I

scribed. 7

.4; In combination, 'a-door, a hollow metal vertlcal edge thereof, saidhousing having an opening inits side nearest the edge of the door, alatch member pivotally-mounted on and within the housing and extendingfrom the housing fora distance .and then turned downwardly, beingprovided .at its end in frontof the pivot. with anarm extending housingconnected tothe door at the free through said opening in theside of thel ons 7 ing and across the edge of the door-,an u'p' turned catch formedonthe end of the arm,

a strike attached to the door casing, means for yieldingly holding theinner end of the latch member inupper position 'whereby said catchautomatically engages with the strike when the. 'door is closed, "andmeans for moving the catch to disengage froni the strike;

g 5. In combination, a sheet metal housing. I having sides, a'latchmember of sheet metal inserted through the housing and having one endpositioned within thehousing ears on the latch member lying alongsidethe.

inner sides of the sides of the housing, a, pivot pin passing throughsaid "ears and sides of the housing, a handle formed at the outer end ofthe latch member a distance from the housing, a laterally extending armadjacent the inner end of'the latch member and passing'through aside ofthe housing and thence formed into astrike engaging catch, and meanswithin the housing ass'ociated withithe latch member foryieldinglyelevating the inner end of the latch member.

6. In combination, a door, a metal housing connected to the door, alatch member 'pivotally"mount'ed on and within the housing,.said latchmember-having strike engag ing means and a dependformed thereon andextending ing operating handle passingthrough the 7 top of the housing,ajmemberconn-ected to i the latch member. and passing through the and'athumb-engaging head on said door,

, free end, substantiallyas described. 7 I In testimony whereof Ialiix'my signature.

ELVAH o. BUL ANQ

